Four
by KDN89
Summary: 1500 years ago, Dashi defeated the Heylin side with the help of the four beasts of Japanese mythology. In the present, the monks must prepare for the second Xiaolin War by accepting their destiny and the legacy of the Guardians. [DISCONTINUED]
1. Mythology

**Chapter 01: Mythology**

"Young monks, as the sun sets on your time as Wudai Warriors, I feel it is time to explain the events that have occurred during your stay at the Xiaolin Temple."

Omi was on his feet, zooming around Master Fung with a great sense of eagerness. Clay stood a few feet away, lassoing a green monkey that had not yet found its way back into the wild. At the edge of the pond were Kimiko and Raimundo, wrapped in each other's arms.

"You may have noticed," the Xiaolin master continued after calming Omi down, "that the number '4' has played a role in significant events that have occurred over the past four years: four elemental Dragons were selected upon your arrival at the temple; Mala Mala Jong divided himself into quarters rather than ninths; the greatest number of Shen Gong Wu to reveal themselves simultaneously was four, both during the Shen Gong Wu drought and in the treasure cove; the unveiling of 'The Sands of Time', Dashi's second most powerful Shen Gong Wu, as well as Wuya's return to power, occurred in the fourth year after the dawn of the millennium.

"Soon, during your fourth year at the temple, the fourth Heylin Master will reveal himself."

Raimundo interrupted with, "I don't get it. How is the number '4' supposed to explain everything and predict the future?"

"Because there are four corners of the world."

Kimiko gave a soft "Oh!" of realization. Everyone else turned their heads, hoping for clarification, but when she said nothing, their eyes fell back on Master Fung.

"In mythology, four mystical beasts were believed to have existed as guardians, patrolling the four corners of the world and fending off evils that attempted to assume control of their domains.

"The Wake-Star Tortoise

"The Ore-Star Tiger

"The Flare-Star Phoenix

"And the Gale-Star Dragon

"1500 years ago, these beasts raged alongside Dashi against four Heylin Masters: Wuya, Chase Young, Hannibal Roy Bean, and Ark Wing. Each Master had commandeered a corner of the world and ruled as tyrant over the domain. The combined powers of the Xiaolin monks and the Guardians, as the beasts were later labeled, triumphed against the Heylin side, forcing the Masters from their thrones.

"Wuya was locked away in Dashi's puzzle box, and Chase Young, after imprisoning Hannibal Bean in the Ying-Yang World, vanished into the shadows, gradually reclaiming his territory for centuries."

"What about this 'Ark Wing'?" Omi inquired, "If he was a Heylin Master, he would have had an immortal body, like all the others."

An expression both grim and stern flickered on the ancient monks face before he answered.

"He is dead. A casualty of the war he himself began."

He continued in his normal voice, "After the Heylin way subsided, Dashi scattered his tools, the Shen Gong Wu, across the globe; That is, all but one…

"The 'Four-Point Star'"

"I'm guessing this is where the number '4' comes in the most." Clay said in a mixed voice of both awe and boredom.

"Indeed. The 'Four-Point Star' is the Shen Gong Wu that has kept all the others dormant for the past 1500 years. No Shen Gong Wu would activate as long as the 'Four-Point Star' remained undisturbed. The 'Star' was broken into four pieces and placed under the protection of the Guardians, who defended the shards for centuries.

"Four years ago, Dojo's great-great-great-grand uncle, Tiamaut the Gale-Star Dragon, faded away. Not even mystical creatures can survive forever.

"Thanks for bringing that up…" Dojo retorted. He pondered for a moment before he added in a softer tone, "Well, Uncle Tiamaut WAS 10,000 years old…"

"With Tiamaut's passing," Fung continued, "the balance between light and dark was tilted, and thus the Eastern corner of the 'Star' awoke. It was this portion of the star that triggered the revealing of all the Shen Gong Wu so far, in the hopes of stabilizing the cosmic balance of power.

"However, the surviving Guardians are bordering along this world and the next. When they die, the fourth Heylin Master will be revealed, along with the entire 'Four-Point Star'. Should someone on the Heylin side utilize the 'Star's' power, he or she would be able to activate all the dormant Shen Gong Wu prematurely, allowing them to retrieve them immediately and tip the scale of power in their favor.

"On the other hand, should a Xiaolin monk wield the 'Star', then all the Shen Gong Wu could be forced to deactivate for eternity."

"No Wu missions means more chores," Raimundo piped in, "And more chores with no Wu mean more work."

A glare from his teacher silenced the teen. Omi shot him a look too before his face broke out in excitement.

"Master Fung, when we retrieve the 'Four-Point Star', we will be made Xiaolin Dragons?" the Chinese orphan asked in an almost pleading tone.

"Yes. The restoration of the world will be you final Wudai mission.

"To clarify: along with their mortality, the Guardians' powers are draining as well. But their powers are not fading away as they are; instead those powers have been transferred into you.

"It is you destiny to guard the 'Four-Point Star', especially when the second Xiaolin War is about to begin…"


	2. Alliances

**Chapter 02: Alliance**

"Chase? C.Y.? Mr. Young, sir?"

Jack Spicer stood before the cave wall isolating Chase Young's keep from the rest of the world. The mountainous wall remained indifferent to Jack's growing begging for admission. On the verge of tears, Jack collapsed into his routine breakdown in a desperate attempt to weaken the wall with his tears of despair. His feeble crying was interrupted shortly by a witch's cough and the voice of an evil millenniums-old.

"My boy, what are you doing?" inquired Hannibal Roy Bean.

Somehow through his sniffles of self-pity, Jack managed out the words, "I'm trying to talk to Chase about an evil alliance."

"Funny," replied the bean, eyeing Spicer with a look of curiosity, "we came by for just the same reason. Why don't you join us?"

"You can't be serious?" piped in Wuya, on whom Bean and Ying-Ying were perched. "What use do we have for a whiner like him?"

"I'm not a whiner!" Jack shrieked.

"We'll just see won't we? Now, we need to have a nice chat with Chase…"

Pressing his sprout-hands against the stone entrance, Bean trigger the door to open, revealing the marble paradise concealed in the volcano. In the center gazebo of the main chamber stood Chase Young, stroking the head of one of his jungle cats. He turned to his visitors with a look of amusement masking his inner rage at the sight of his former mentor.

"Hannibal. Wuya. To what do I owe the pleasure?" he called to them as the clique of villains approached

"I'm here too, Chase." Jack stated in a voice barely audible, even in the echoing silence. Those who heard him chose to ignore him.

"Chase, my boy, you know well why we've assembled here." Hannibal said. "The time has come for the Four Masters to resume our reign over the world."

"But aren't we forgetting something?" Wuya interrupted, "Ark Wing is dead. Unless you can pull a fourth Heylin warrior out of thin air, I don't-"

Her head rotated to Jack before she spoke once more, this time in a stupefied voice, "Oh, you can't be serious?"

"Indeed, I am."

"What's going on?" Jack asked the group in large.

"Jack Spicer, how would you like to be granted the powers of the Heylin side? Conquer this world with the three of us? Even keep the Western corner all to yourself?"

"Well…I would like the evil power, but I want to rule the whole world…But with the three of you here, that's impossible…"

"Aren't we forgetting something else, Hannibal?" Chase intervened, his voice no longer covering his annoyance, "Ark Wing isn't dead. Sabeeny's desperate attempt to retrieve the 'Monarch Wings' proved that."

"What's that got to do with me becoming one of the 'Four Masters' or whatever?" asked Jack.

"Oh, if it will stop your questioning…" said Chase, "Sabeeny, the parasite sealed in the 'Mosaic Scales' was the right-hand man of Ark Wing, King of Beasts and Heylin Master of the Western region. During the first Xiaolin War, Ark Wing was destroyed by Dashi and the Guardians. His body vanished, but his powers were sealed in the 'Monarch Wings', hence where the Wu received its name.

"Sabeeny was also trapped within a Shen Gong Wu, but even if released, he would become active only when the 'Monarch Wings' activated, which was his only hope of reviving his fallen master. Combined with the 'Scales', the 'Monarch Wings' were supposed to use Sabeeny as a flesh sacrifice to reborn Ark Wing.

"Body for a body, soul for a soul – the power and namesake of the 'Mosaic Scales'.

"However, Kimiko intervened and sealed the 'Scales' shut. What bothers me is the fact that even if the 'Scales' was sealed, a revived Ark Wing should have been more than powerful enough to break free. The fact he is not among our little group now means that the ritual failed and that Ark must have been reincarnated over the last fifteen centuries…"

"True," spoke Bean, "Ark may have come back without us knowing due to his lack of power. But until his incarnate is revealed, I think we should substitute Jack in his place so we can seize the opportunity. The 'Four-Point Star' activates only once and we need it retrieve it before the monks can."

"I don't need trinkets to deal with them." Chase retorted, only to be countered by Wuya's "Yes, you seem to be just as easily defeated by the martial arts skills…"

"Settle down, Chase." Hannibal reprimanded Young's reptilian form. "You may be against the use of Shen Gong Wu, but the 'Star' will also prevent the monks from using them. And when Ark returns and no Wu to fall back on…"

"The Xiaolin monks will be left as frail and pathetic as Jack." Wuya finished.

Jack cried "Hey!" but silenced when Bean spoke once more.

"What do you say, Chase? Join us and retake control of the Northern chunk of the globe! Regain your title as Heylin Master!"

There was a pause before Chase said, "Very well, Hannibal. The world will be easier to plunge into the darkness once the four of us reunite."

"Anyone want to fill me in?" Jack asked.

"In due time, my boy." Bean roared between laughs, "But now it's like you've always said: WORLD DOMINATION, BABY!"


End file.
